Letter-box.



PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903.

M. KELLER. LETTER BOX.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 23. 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 NO MODEL.

WITNE88S m: mums min: ca, mom-Llma, WASHINGTON n c To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

UNITED STATES PATENT iPatented August 4,

OFFICE,

MICHAEL KELLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO I WILLIAM S. PIO KARD, "OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 0; 735,389, dated August 4, 1903. Application filed December 23, 1902. Serial No. 136,322- (No model.)

Be itknown that LMIOHAEL KELLER,a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New Y0rk,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter Boxes, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to. make and use the same. i a

The object of this invention is to provide an improved letter-box which may be secured to any suitable support and in any desired manner and which is so constructed that it cannot be opened except by a party having the proper key and which possesses other novel features which facilitate the removal of mail-matter therefrom; and with this and other objects in View theinvention consists in a letter-box of the class specified constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which- Figure 1 is an end viewof my improved letter-box; Fig. 2, a'plan view thereof; Fig. 3, a sectional end view thereof, and Fig. 4 a plan view of the bottom half of the outer casing of the box and the part contained therein. In the practice of my invention Iprovide a letter-box comprising an outer cylindrical casing wand an inner cylindrical casing b. The casinga, is divided horizontally, as shown at a", and the separate parts thereof are in practice bolted together at a", said parts being provided, respectively, with flanges d and 0 by means of which they are secured together, as shown and as above "described. The outer casing ais also providedin theform of construction shown with side flanges a by means of whichit is secured to a support of; but this connection with a support may be made in any desired manner.

The casing b is supported by central journals at 13 on which it is freeto turn, and at the back of the casing 19 is a lock b the block b of which is adapted to enter a recess b in the back wall of the outer casing a, and in order to turn the inner casing, as hereinafter described, a key is inserted through the end of the outer casing a at a", as shown in Fig. 1, and the inner casing is turned by the handle of the key after the bolt b of the lock has been withdrawn, and in this operation the shank of the key passes through a slot a formed in the end of the outer casing a.

At the bottom of the outer casing a is a downwardly and forwardly curved dischargespout a and in the top of said outer casing is an opening 0, covered by a shield c and through which mail-matter may be inserted, and 'in the top of the casingb when in its locked position and directly under the open- :ing a in the outer casing a is an opening 0 tal casing d is pivoted a spring-operated pawl I (1 which operates in connection withthe ratchet-teeth d to prevent the backward movement of the cylinder d The inner casing b, directly opposite the look I), is provided in the end thereof with a vertically-arranged space e, in which is piv 'oted a pawl 6 which also operates in connec with theratchet-teeth d and secured in the space 6 above the pawl e is a lug or projection a whichis adapted to bear on the back of the teeth (1 The normal position of the parts is that shown in Fig. 3, and in operation the mailmatter is inserted through the opening a and falls into the inner casing 1?. Whenever it-is desired to remove the mail-matter from the box, a key is inserted into the lock d the lock-block b is withdrawn, and the inner casing b" is turned by means of the key, the shank of which moves through the segmental slot a in the end of the main outer casing a. When the. inner casing b is turned through one-half ,a revolution, the opening 0 will be directly. over the discharge spout a and the mailmatter will drop out of the casing b on through said spout into any bag or receptacle held at the end of said spout.

The cylinder (1 is intended as means for placed on said cylinder may be arranged in any desired manner and at any preferred distance apart, and the ratchet-teeth at the end of the cylinder 01 may be arranged so as to turn said cylinder through any desired distance or space at each operation of the easing 1).

It will be understood that in operating the casing b it is turned to the left through one.- half a revolution and is then turned back into the position shown in Fig. 3 and locked in said position. When the casing 19 is turned to the right, the cylinder (1 is turned through one end space, the width of which is determined by the number of teeth (1 and the lug or projection e is designed to prevent the backward movement of the cylinder (1 but as this lug or projection is secured to the easing 1) it does not interfere with the movement of said cylinder, as hereinbefore described.

My improved letter-box is simple in construction and operation and comparatively.

inexpensive, and is well adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended.

Any suitable means may be provided for protecting the opening 0 in the top of the main outer casing, and my invention is not limited in its connection to the use of the shield 0 It will also be apparent that other changes in and modifications of the construction herein described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing the essential elements of the invention, and I reserve the right to make all such alterations in the construction herein shown and described as fairly come within the scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Aletter-box comprisinga main outer casing and a supplemental inner casing, said casings being cylindrical in form and the inner casing being rotatable and provided with an opening in the top thereof, the outer casing being also provided at the top with an opening and at the bottom with a discharge-spout and in one end thereof with asegmental slot, and the inner casing being provided with a lock adapted to be operated by a key passed through the said end of the outer casing, and the shank of which is movable in said slot, said main outer casing being also provided at the front thereof with a supplemental casing, a cylinder mounted therein, and means for. rotating said cylinder through a predetermined space at each operation of the supplemental casing, substantially as shown and described.

2. A letter-box comprising a main outer casing and a supplemental inner casing, said casings being cylindrical in form and the inner casing being rotatable and provided with an opening in the top thereof, the outer casing being also provided at the top with an opening and at the bottom with a discharge-spout and in one end thereof with a segmental slot, and the inner casing being provided with a lock adapted to be operated by a key passed through the said end of the outer casing, and the shank of which is movable in said slot, said main outer casing being also provided at the front thereof with a supplemental casing, a cylinder mounted therein, and means for rotating said cylinder through a predetermined space at each operation of the supplemental casing, consisting of ratchet-teeth connected with said cylinder and a pawl connected with the inner casing, substantially as shown and described.

3. A letter-box comprising a main cylindrical casing having top and bottom openings, an inner casing mounted therein and rotatable therein and provided at the top with an opening, the main outer casing being provided at the front with a supplemental casing, a cylinder mounted in the supplemental casing, means for locking the inner casing and turning it through a part of a revolution, and devices for turning said cylinder through apredetermined space,substantially as shown and described.

4. Aletter-box comprisingamainouter casing, a rotatable inner casing mounted therein and adapted to be locked to the main outer casing, the main outer casing being also provided at the front thereof with a supplemental casing, a cylinder mounted therein and provided with ratchet-teeth, a pawl connected with the rotatable inner casing and operating in connection with said teeth, another pawl in the supplemental casing operatingin connection with said teeth, and a lug or projection secured to the inner rotatable casing and also operating in connection with said teeth, substantially as shown and described.

5. A letter-box comprising a main outer cylindrical casing and a rotatable inner casing mounted therein and adapted to be locked thereto, said casings being both provided with openings in the top thereof and the main outer casing, being provided in the bottom thereof with another opening, a supplemental casing connected with the main outer casing, a cylinder mounted therein, and means whereby said cylinder is turned through a predetermined space at each movement of the inner rotatable cylinder, substantially as shown and described.

6. A letter-box comprising a main outer cylindrical casing and a rotatable inner casing mounted therein and adapted to be locked thereto, said casings being both provided with openings in the top thereof and the main outer casing being provided in the bottom thereof with another opening, a supplemental casing connected with the main outer casing, a cylinder mounted therein, and means whereby said cylinder is turned through a ing b is partially turned, substantially as shown and described.

8. A letter-box comprising a main outer casing and a supplemental inner casing rotatalole therein, the outer casing being provided at the top and bottom with an opening, and the inner casing being provided in the top thereof with an opening and means for looking said inner casing so that the opening in the top thereof will register with the opening in the top of the main outer casing, and means whereby the inner casing may be rotated,

substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my inventionI have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 16th day of December, 1902.

MICHAEL KELLER.

Witnesses:

F. A. STEWART, O. E. MULREANY. 

